Adam: Kings of Guardian (Book 3) TRP Excerpt

Adam Kings of Guardian Book 3 By Kris Michaels

Dr. Adam Cassidy knew two things: life isn’t easy and fate’s a bitch.

Adam's last mission cost him an eye, his memory, and any chance of staying with his military brothers-in-arms on Guardian's Alpha Team. He'd scraped together the remnants of his life. He’d refined, rebuilt and pushed on alone, while every night, sleep tortured him with the fleeting memory of the warm, welcome press of the soft breasts and lips of a faceless, nameless woman.

Keelee Marshall knew all about loss. She couldn't forget their brief nights of passion—but Adam had. The man she loved beyond reason had disappeared on the battlefields of Afghanistan. It seemed she would have to win his love all over again, and in Adam's ignorance, he was pushing her into the arms of a man she didn’t want and a future devoid of romance.

Love can trump the cards fate has dealt both of them. But only if the man holding the cards is a Guardian.

Chapter One Heaven on earth existed and its epicenter was the Rocking M Ranch. Keelee Marshall knew nothing but this life and that was just fine. Cresting the ridge about two miles from home, she stopped her horse and waited for her ranch hand to catch up. The double hanging doors of the barn had been pushed back, spilling pale yellow light into the darkness of the crisp October evening. The soft illumination cascading from the barn stood as a beacon against the dark shadows of the majestic northern Black Hills. Her legs extended further on either side of her horse as the gelding filled its lungs and whinnied. Her mount’s ears twitched at a faint answering cry from the stable. Evenings like this cemented her love for her family’s ranch. Beautiful. Quiet.

Serene. To the left of the barn, set back in the giant cottonwood trees, the glow from the house windows sparkled like little stars. This was home. The comforting cocoon of familiarity she found in the ebb and flow of the ranch operations wrapped itself around her DNA. Ranching wasn’t easy, but she’d never wanted anything else.

“What in the heck is going on at the barn?” Danny’s stuffy nose made his question sound cartoonish.

A small laugh bubbled up at his nasal misery, but she suppressed it. She had to give it to him.

He had tried to suck it up and put in his time, because, unfortunately, work didn’t stop when someone got the sniffles. Today they had ridden the southern pasture fence line to ensure the snow barriers would hold through the winter. The kid had struggled. He was definitely sick. For the last few miles he’d been almost asleep in his saddle, but the lights ahead had pulled his attention. The violence of his thick wet cough startled her mount.

“You okay, Danny? You almost came off your horse with that cough.”

“Yeah. I’m hanging in.”

She watched him dubiously but urged her horse to continue down the hill. There was no way Danny could make the ride up into the higher pastures to bring down the herd tomorrow. Keelee needed to arrange for another hand to replace him. Working the rocky breaks without four people was a fruitless effort. Cattle were cagey animals. They could scatter or ghost into the breaks formed by the Black Hills. Without enough people gathering the herd could take forever.

She glanced towards the barn when she was sure Danny wasn’t going to end up on the ground. The flurry of activity was undoubtedly her dad and sister. Tori was due home today from her jaunt to D.C. Jaunt to D.C. Like that was a common thing, jet setting around the world. Well granted, in Tori’s world it seemed to be common. Keelee had never gone further than Denver, so the notion of flying halfway across the country was definitely on the ‘oh, I don’t think so’ side of the fence as far as she was concerned. According to her father, Tori flew there to meet a man.

Someone special.

“Probably Tori and Dad sorting and stacking equipment for the morning. She was supposed to be back this afternoon.”

Danny grunted. Keelee smiled; the longer the young man worked for her dad, the more of his mannerisms he picked up. Grunting had become an elaborate form of communication on the

Marshall Ranch. Rounding the corner to the barn, Keelee stopped her mount in disbelief and watched as three-string bales of alfalfa hay flew into the air. Each bale weighed a good seventyfive, eighty pounds.

Two massive men were moving hay from a flatbed semi-trailer to the barn’s loft. Surprised and amazed, she watched a tall blond man resembling a Norse god easily carry four bales of hay at a time. Thor incarnate carried over three hundred pounds—or more. Those damn bales of alfalfa were doubles. It would have taken her three-quarters of an hour to do what the men she watched accomplished in mere minutes.

Danny coughed again breaking Keelee out of her reverie. “Danny, go on in. Get yourself to bed. You shouldn’t have come out today.”

The young man surveyed the strange men at work in the barn. “Who are they?”

Keelee watched as the tall blond pitched bales up to a huge dark-haired man in the loft. “I guess those are friends of Tori’s. According to Dad, they’re staying on for a couple months. I didn’t know they were all showing up today though.” Keelee grabbed his reins. “Hey, on the bright side, if they keep helping out like this you can take time off and get some rest without feeling too guilty.”

Keelee dismounted. “I’ll tend to Biscuit. Go on. Get up to the house. Aunt Betty will make you a tray.”

The boy coughed into his sleeve and slid down off his horse. “Okay. Night, Keelee.”

She grinned at him. Poor kid. “Night, brat.” He gave a weak smile and walked with slow determination up to the house.

Keelee loosened the cinch on her saddle, walked around the bay that Danny rode and repeated the process. She led the horses towards the barn and into the brightness that spilled from the interior.

The tall blond threw a seventy-five pound bale up two stories to the loft where the man of obvious Native American ancestry caught it like it weighed no more than a piece of paper. Thor hoisted another bale to repeat the motion. He saw Keelee leading the horses into the barn and froze in mid-swing. He did a double take. Thor recovered his composure with a quick smile and pitched the bale up to the loft. The bale didn’t follow the other’s trajectory and the big Indian in the loft ended up with a chest full of hay that sat him on his ass. Hard.

Keelee’s eyes followed the bale now on top of the seated giant in the loft. The string of cuss words the man let loose surprised her. She would never think to put those particular words together. Interesting how the F-bomb could be used as a noun, verb, adverb, adjective, subject and predicate and exclamation—all in one sentence. Keelee’s eyes widened and she tried desperately to suppress the laughter the torrent of cuss words initiated. She watched the man who pitched the load. Absolutely gorgeous. God had certainly known what he was doing. Tall, with muscles and thick blond hair that fell over his forehead. He had sky blue eyes, high cheekbones and a pair of killer dimples when he smiled. Dimples, nah, make that slashes and oh my God, they are so cute. And those dimples were on display front and center as he smiled at her.

“Hi, I’m Keelee, Tori’s sister.”

The man took off the leather gloves he wore and held out his hand. “That fact would be impossible to miss. Adam Cassidy, but everyone calls me Doc.” Keelee shook his hand. “Alright, Doc, nice to meet you. I take it you’re Tori’s man?”

Doc gave a bark of laughter and shook his head. “No, ma’am. Jacob is Tori’s man. But we’re his team. If you adopt one, you adopt us all.”

He whistled and the man above peered over the ledge. “Yo?”

“Chief, this is Keelee, Tori’s sister and yes, she heard your tirade.”

The Indian brushed off hay from his shirt. His face reddened before he nodded at her and turned away going back to work.

Two mirror image Greek gods walked up from the far end of the barn with empty feed buckets. Strawberry blond hair, blue eyes and muscles that just didn’t end, all these men were cut from the same cloth. When did I die and go to superhero heaven?

Doc nodded to the men. “That’s Dixon and the other one’s Drake.”

Drake gave him a smile. “Damn Doc, we’ve been together five years and you can’t tell us apart yet?”

Doc snarled. “Bullshit! I put that stitch right where I can see it above your eyebrow. You can’t pull that shit on me any longer.”

The doctor grimaced and gave her a sheepish grin. “Sorry ma’am, as you can tell we are not used to being around ladies.”

Keelee laughed. “Yeah? Me either!”

“Let us take the horses back for you.” One of the twins reached for the reins.

Keelee raised an eyebrow, not moving to relinquish the leather. “Do you know how to unsaddle and curry a horse?”

Dixon elbowed Drake in the ribs and smiled. “Yes Ma’am, we grew up in Lexington, Kentucky. We both worked for stables before we joined the Corps.”

Keelee pulled her Winchester out of the rifle boot on her saddle. “This is Comanche. He goes into the empty stall on the right.” She tossed the bay’s reins to Dixon… or was it Drake?

Whatever, or actually, whoever. “Biscuit here goes in the stall at the end. Watch out for Comanche. He kicks and bites.” The remaining twin grabbed the reins directly under the bridle, squeezing slightly. The horse wouldn’t be able to bite him and with such a short rein he couldn’t swing around to kick. Keelee nodded her head. The men could handle horseflesh.

She turned as more bales flew into the air. “Wow.” Keelee jumped when her father’s gruff voice sounded beside her. “Yep, my sentiments exactly.”

“Where is Tori’s man?” Keelee stood mesmerized.

“The big one? He’s up at the house with your sister.” Her dad’s words brought her head around to him.

“Big one? These guys are the size of a Mack truck!”

“Yeah? Tori’s man is a truck and trailer.” Frank gave a loud, sharp, whistle. “Dinner in thirty minutes at the house. You will all be there.”

Adam threw a bale and spoke over his shoulder. “Roger that, sir.”

Her dad turned toward the house and she fell in beside him.

“Well, I’ll be damned. They can work.”

“Stop cussing. You sound like a ranch hand.”

“I am a ranch hand.”

“Don’t matter. You’re still my daughter.”

“Girls cuss.”

“Not in my house.”

“I’m not in the house.”

“Stop being a smartass.”

“But I’m so good at it.”

“That you are, honey. That you are.” Her dad chuckled. “Get yourself washed up. Don’t make me wait for dinner. I’m hungry enough to eat the table.”

“Yes, sir.” Keelee left her dad at the foyer and headed up to her bedroom. The blond doctor’s smile and vivid blue eyes fixed in her mind’s eye. You’re a fool. Stop thinking about him. He’s here for a short time. Not like he’d be interested in you. Keelee scrunched her nose at herself in the mirror. She washed up quickly and glanced at her reflection. In a sudden decision, she pulled her hair out of the long braid she usually wore and brushed it out and up into a high ponytail, leaving the full dark-blonde wave past her shoulder. She changed her clothes. Twice. Oh, just stop! Get downstairs and eat before dinner is done.

Keelee blushed when she took her seat. Her father and sister’s raised eyebrows only made the heat in her face more obvious to everyone else. The conversation at the table was lighthearted, the men teasing each other with comfortable familiarity. Keelee found herself stealing glances down the table at Adam. The man’s pull was disconcerting. With an effort, she focused on the conversation between her father and Jacob. Tori had picked well. The man was beyond handsome. Dark where Keelee preferred fair, but he commanded the table and was definitely a powerful and dynamic person. Keelee gave herself a mental shake, tuning in for once to the conversation happening at the table.

“Tori says you work international issues. You ever work with her?” At her dad’s question, her sister and Jacob’s men tensed. It wasn’t her imagination. For some reason, this wasn’t a topic they wanted to talk about.

“Indirectly, yes. That’s how we met.” Jacob’s answer didn’t eliminate the eerie quiet that settled over the table.

Keelee spoke for the first time since sitting down. “Your company deals with computer security issues?”

Jacob replied, “My company is Guardian Security. We are the world’s largest private security agency. We are employed by federal agencies and private concerns in our country and by nations around the world. Our missions deal with everything from computer security to privately funded military operations in hostile areas—the latter is my specialty.”

Wait, hostile areas? Keelee glanced across the table at her sister. It appeared Tori wanted to slip under the table and hide. I’m missing something here.

“You said you met Tori when you worked together. Was she in a hostile area?”

Her dad snorted. “Yeah, if I know your sister, she was smack dab in the middle of one hell of a mess.” At her dad’s quip, Tori and all the men around the table laughed at the same time and resumed eating.

Why didn’t she tell me? I’ve been the one to wake her from her nightmares for the last year.

Nightmares Keelee had been told were from a traffic accident that left her sister severely injured.

Hostile area? The realization there may never have been a traffic accident slammed home. Why the lies? Why couldn’t Tori tell her? She was her sister, for heaven’s sake. She felt betrayed.

“Really? It would seem I’m the last to know anything around here. But when it concerns Tori that’s nothing unusual, now is it?” She pinned Tori to her seat with a stare that showed all the hurt she felt and stood up. “I guess I’ll make myself useful and go get dessert.” She picked up her plate and escaped to the kitchen.

Aunt Betty hummed an old waltz tune as she took a huge apple cobbler out of the oven. “Hi, sweetheart! You’re just in time to take this out to the table for me.”

Keelee attempted a smile and grabbed two pot holders. “Aunt Betty, this crowd is going to be a lot of extra work for you. Do you need me to help out?”

The thin woman turned and beamed at Keelee. With a repetitive push she lifted her gray hair back from her face. She smiled at the expansive modern kitchen. “Are you kidding me? No, sweetheart, I’m loving this! Cooking for a bunch of hungry hands is what I love. Now you go on and take that out but come back for the ice cream.”

Keelee picked up the casserole filled with bubbling cobbler and headed towards the door as Doc walked in balancing an armload of empty dishes. He headed straight to the sink and unloaded as he smiled and spoke over his shoulder. “You are an excellent cook, ma’am.”

Keelee stood transfixed. The man drew her attention like fire to kerosene. He quickly settled the dishes on the counter, then walked past Keelee and bent down to give Aunt Betty a kiss on her cheek. “That was a delicious meal. If you keep feeding us that way, we may never leave.”

Betty’s face flushed deep red as she laughed like a schoolgirl. “Enough with you! Take that ice cream bucket and follow Keelee out of here. Men don’t belong in my kitchen even when they come in to kiss up!”

Oh… my… God, if he rewards the cook with a kiss I am definitely helping out more around here. Keelee’s eyes widened and she felt the flush of blood hit her face. Did she really just think that? Oh God, she needed to get off the ranch more often. You need a date. But with who? Clint?

Yes, Clint. He’d been hinting at wanting more.

Her mind snapped back to the happenings in the kitchen and the gorgeous man who laughed and grabbed the bucket of ice cream and the scoop. He pushed the door open, waited for Keelee to pass, and followed her into the dining room.

She kept her eyes downcast and chewed her bottom lip instead of the dessert that was passed to her. She glanced down the table at Adam. His laughter at a comment Dixon made showed those dimples again. Lord, that man was trouble. Who in their right mind would choose to date a mere cowboy like Clint Koehler after meeting someone like him?

The dessert lasted as long as it took the men to scoop the cobbler out of the pan. Keelee wished it took them longer to finish. The obvious lies her sister had let her believe hurt and confused her. Why would Tori make up such a story? That her father knew or had guessed the truth made her feel like she’d been played. Her dad cleared his throat and brought her out of her attempt to process the anger and hurt.

“We have cattle to push and since you’ve all offered to help, we’ll split into two groups.” He motioned to Dixon, Drake, and Chief. “I’ll take you three to the northwest and head the cattle down. Keelee and Tori, you take these two.” Her father pointed to Jacob and Adam. “Head to the northeast corner and bring the rest of the herd south. We’ll meet at the canyon. Take enough supplies for four days, although it should only take two. Betty will have the chuck packed and ready to load in the morning.”

Tori’s man had been injured. A sling cradled his arm. That was the reason they were at the ranch—for him to recover. Her dad held Jacob’s eye. “I’m assuming you can set a horse without too much problem?”

Jacob nodded. “Yes sir, I won’t hold them back.”

Frank nodded and walked out of the room.

Keelee stood. She’d had enough of tonight’s bullshit, but she tried to school her voice so her feelings didn’t show. “We need to be at the barn saddled, loaded and cinched up by four thirty a.m. Good night, gentlemen.”

Tori stood and started gathering empty plates along with Keelee. The men drifted up the stairs or into the den. She didn’t know where they went and at the moment she didn’t care. Keelee

wiped the table as Tori returned from the kitchen for another armful of dirty dishes. The longer she wiped the more resentment seethed in her. She couldn’t act like nothing had happened.

“So, obviously you are more than a computer programmer.”

Tori stopped and straightened with a nod. “I’ve had some adventures.”

Keelee snorted. Yep, she’d been lied to. Well, didn’t she feel like an idiot. “Of course.

Naturally, you have.”

“Do you have a problem, Keelee?”

Keelee flipped her ponytail off her shoulder and walked into the kitchen. Tori followed her waiting for an answer.

“No, Tori, I have absolutely no problems. Glad you’re out having adventures… sounds better than a boring ole traffic accident. We have cattle to move. I suggest you get some sleep.” Keelee swept by Tori, grabbed a jacket off the hook by the door and went out into the cool evening air.

As wound up as she was right now, sleep wasn’t an option, so she headed to the barn. At least she understood the animals. Animals were easy. People? Not so much.

Chapter Two Stars twinkled in the early morning sky, sharing the vista with the first rays of the dawning sun. The men’s energy and conversation filled the barn. Eager hands completed the task of loading packs and saddling mounts in a matter of minutes. Keelee swung up on Comanche and braced for his inevitable foul-tempered hop. She’d had him for six years and the gelding still let her know he didn’t approve of anyone, even her, riding him. Frank slid his Winchester into the rifle boot of his line-backed dun and mounted. He surveyed the people in the barn and growled, “You ready yet?”

Keelee watched as Chief swung up and Dixon and Drake quickly mounted. They weren’t your typical cowboys, but the men seemed more than competent. All three appeared comfortable in the saddle. Her dad nodded to himself before he watched everyone else mount.

Jacob turned and examined the open area of the barn. “Where the hell is Doc?” The man in question walked into the barn. “I went up to the house to check on Danny. I gave Betty some antibiotics to give to him and instructions for his care, along with my cell number.

The kid’s got walking pneumonia, but as long as he stays inside and rests for a couple days, he should be okay.”

Keelee smiled at Adam. “Thank you, Adam. I knew he had more than just a cold. When I checked on him last night he was coughing up a lung.”

Drake hooted. “Who the hell is Adam?”

Dixon frowned at the medic. “Damn it, Doc, you actually got a name and you never shared that with us? Should we be offended? I think we should be offended. Hey! I’m offended, Drake.

What’s this? Check it out! This morning we find out Doc has an actual name and last night we discovered the Skipper has sisters. Next thing you know Chief is actually going to tell us he has a name. Something like Harvey or Malcolm.”

Drake chimed in, “No, Mortimer or Horatio—something long suffering and filled with angst.”

“Mortimer? Horatio? What the hell is angst? What kind of word is that? Dude, have you been reading a thesaurus again? What did I tell you about using words you can’t understand?” The rest of Dixon’s comments faded into the morning as they rode out of the barn after Chief.

Frank shook his head and tickled his horse with his spurs. “This should be an interesting few days.”

Keelee followed her dad out of the barn. She took the point with Doc following and finally Tori and Jacob fell into line leading the pack animals. They split directions from her father and his group and headed into the hills.

Once they were in the open, Tori and Jacob walked their horses side by side as Doc and Keelee led the way. Their laughter pulled her attention back from the trail she was riding.

Doc chuckled. “They’re good together.”

Keelee’s eyebrows rose as she cast a glance at the sexy-as-sin doctor.

Leaning forward in his saddle, he gave her a sideways assessment. “What? You don’t agree?”

Keelee shrugged her shoulders. “Evidently anything dealing with Tori’s life isn’t my concern.

I’m the last person you should ask.” Keelee kicked her horse into a trot putting real estate between herself and Doc. She really didn’t want to get into her issues with Tori right now.

His horse broke into a lope catching Comanche quickly. When she finally slowed her mount, he rode in front of her horse forcing her to stop. Her horse didn’t like it and took a swipe at biting Adam. He moved his mount but held position stopping her advance. “I am not spending the next three days with a statement like that hanging out there. What’s the problem with them being together?”

“Absolutely nothing. My little sister is going to swim off to live life large and leave me stuck here in the middle of nowhere, with no one. Forty years from now I will be an old maid and Victoria will be living nice and easy somewhere surrounded by ten children and her hunk of a husband.” Morbid embarrassment flooded her. Where the hell did that spew of envy come from?

Adam seemed to digest the comments. “So you resent her?”

Keelee considered that, drew a huge breath and blew it out slowly before she spoke. “No. I couldn’t do what I believe she and the rest of you do.”

“Then you’re jealous of her.” The statement hung in the air as Keelee rode around his mount.

Was she really jealous of her sister’s adventurous spirit? Adam loosened the reins on his gelding and the two horses fell into step, the silence broken only by the sound of hoof strikes against the ground.

Keelee stopped her horse on the crest of a ridge, waiting for Tori and Jacob, who had fallen way back. The pine trees were becoming dense and the scent of the forest lingered in the air.

“You know, I love this ranch, working with the animals and battling Mother Nature.” Her eyes surveyed the cold expanse of land before them. Her hand waved at the high rolling hills that broke into larger mountains covered in pine, aspen and spruce trees. “Everything as far as you can see in every direction is going to be mine and Tori’s someday. I am blessed beyond measure and I should be content. Yet, something’s missing. Hell, I’m not jealous of Tori. I’m just not satisfied with me and I get scared I’ll never find whatever it is that will make me complete.”

Turning to him, she chuckled ruefully, “Does that make sense?”

Doc nodded as he surveyed the land around them. “I understand. I’ve traveled to just about every country in the world. I’ve seen humanity at its worst and at its best while I searched for that certain missing piece. Until recently, I had no idea what that might be.”

Keelee lost herself in his blue eyes. She could get used to this guy being around. But that wasn’t in the cards and she wasn’t the one-night-stand type. That’s what she’d been telling herself since she laid eyes on him. “Yeah, and just how in the hell did you figure it out? How did you find what you were looking for?”

He shrugged and seemed to focus back toward Jacob and Tori, who were laughing as they rode up the ridge and shrugged. “My answer showed up out of the dark one night.” He turned back and gazed intently at her. “I just knew.”

Great. Yet another person who had their shit together and couldn’t or wouldn’t tell her how it was done. “With explanations like that, no wonder I’m still searching.” She turned in the saddle and mumbled. “I think we better go.”

Doc chuckled and let her lead the way. *

Doc shook his head. Line shack. He’d seen a lot of shacks in third world countries around the world. This building? Only in the United States would a substantial three-bedroom house be called a line shack. It had a hand pump for water, a fireplace, a small kitchen and solid walls and a roof that blocked all weather out. Shack, my rosy red ass.

He found Keelee in the shelter putting more hay into the stalls for the animals. Bent as she was, her shapely tight ass and long, long legs made for one hell of a pretty picture, six feet of blond-haired, blue-eyed sexy stuck in cowboy boots. His cock twitched at the images his mind conjured up. Yeah brother, he definitely noticed Tori’s sister. The woman had everything it took to rev his engines.

She nodded towards the hay. “It is going to get cold tonight. Forecast for the next couple of days is for below freezing temps. The wind chill is projected to be well below zero. The horses will need more food and bedding.”

Yeah, stop daydreaming about those sexy legs wrapped around you and get to work. He nodded and lifted two huge bales over the fence.

“Damn it, man, explain to me how you can be so freaking strong.”

Doc shrugged. He would never admit it, but having her notice his strength was a huge turn on.

Like he needed anything else to want the woman. “Required physical training. The team depends on each other. If you can’t pull your own weight, literally, you are going to let the team down. I won’t be the weak link. Besides, Alpha Team is elite. To be on the team is an honor. We usually work out four or five hours a day when we’re not on assignment.”

She pushed a strand of hair out of her face. The cold had reddened her cheeks and nose.

Damn, he’d have no problem warming the woman up. He’d thought of little else since she walked in from the dark last night. He’d focused on warming her up during his shower fantasy last night. He’d imagined her long legs wrapped around his waist; the taste of her skin as he suckled those pert breasts to a peak; the sound of her moans and the wrap of her heat as he hilted himself in her core. Fuck, now his cock was really awake.

“I know all that time in the gym has got to piss off your girlfriends.”

Doc used the time it took to finish spreading the straw in the stalls to talk his dick into semisubmission before he spoke. He nodded towards the cabin. “Your sister is the first and the only…” he made air quotes, “…girlfriend I’ve known any of the guys to have in the five years I’ve been on the team.” Besides my fucking pariah of an ex-wife, but I’ll never talk about that bitch again. The thought of his ex killed any lingering urges. With that lesson in mind, he reminded himself bedding the sexy cowgirl wasn’t a good idea.

Keelee’s mouth dropped open, her shock clearly displayed. “What? Wait. You’re telling me you and your macho men don’t have a slew of women waiting in the wings?”

Doc vaulted the low stable wall and walked up to her. He reached around her and grabbed his saddle and then lifted hers, pitching it over his shoulder. Inches separated them. Her warm breath caressed his neck. “I didn’t say that. I said there was no other girlfriend. I guess you could say we’re high maintenance. We demand certain things in a woman before she can ever be considered as something more than… hell, I don’t know. Stress relief, maybe? The way I figure it, for someone to be considered a girlfriend she would have to have great internal strength.

She’d have to be fun, smart, interesting and a solid person. Our lifestyle doesn’t need any more drama in it. A girlfriend would have to understand what we do and be okay with being alone for extended periods of time. Finding that rare combination is probably why she’s the only one.”

Keelee grabbed the two remaining sleeping bags and followed him. “Yeah well, that’s great.

What if she has all those wonderful qualities and is unattractive? Looks matter, don’t they?” She

made an exasperated noise and continued in a very loud voice, “Hey, did you hear me? What about looks?” She must not have thought he heard her. Not fucking likely, he was completely focused on the woman.

Doc glanced back at her as she walked with her head down. “Looks fade, Keelee. What’s important is the person.” He stopped dead in his tracks turning to face her and she almost collided with him before she realized he’d stopped. He smiled as she reached out and grabbed him to steady herself. “But I will admit looks do help.”

Adam leaned forward and kissed her. Quick and hard.

It wasn’t planned, but it was damn satisfying. So much for lessons learned. Damn it, she was tempting. He pivoted on his heel and strode toward the line shack. When he reached the door, he glanced over his shoulder at her. She stood shell shocked at the entryway to the stock enclosure.

“You coming in?” His question startled her into action. Adam’s internal laughter got the better of him and a smile spread across his face as she straightened her shoulders and marched toward him. * Keelee moved closer to the fireplace and the warmth it radiated. She held out her hands trying to chase the chill from her body. She glanced sideways at Tori and Jacob as they held each other in the kitchen and whispered. She reached for another log to toss onto the fire. They seemed so damn happy. They completed each other. She stared at the flames, thinking. Where was she supposed to find a man to complete her? A number of… prospects… had accompanied Tori to the ranch, but… Doc had eloquently listed what he and his team required in a girlfriend. Fun. Smart. Interesting. So not her. She was a Midwest rancher’s daughter with a high-school education. Her idea of fun was working with a promising colt or playing a hand of poker, and at the moment, she didn’t think she had any humor in her. Her eyes misted as she poked the logs with a metal rod, exciting the fire. It hurt to want something so bad and see no way to get it. But Adam had kissed her. Oh, hell girl, you know that was a mercy kiss. He’s stuck in the middle of nowhere and he’s bored.

Enough of the woe is me crap. She moved into the kitchen and started dinner. The effort to make a meal was a routine both she and Tori knew well. It would have seemed like old times if there weren’t two gorgeous men sucking all the air out of the shack.

The food lasted literally minutes from the time it hit the table until it was gone. The men did everything but lick their plates. Keelee wasn’t complaining. It certainly made cleanup easier.

Even so, the lingering glances Doc kept throwing her way made the time at the table curious and exciting. Or maybe she was paying attention to something besides the ranch for once.

Tori and Jacob flirted, laughed and kissed as they carried dirty dishes to the sink. The sexual tension between them made their presence in the kitchen a bit uncomfortable. The air around those two held an undeniable charge.

Standing at the sink Keelee nudged her sister. “Go on. We can repack in the morning.”

Tori blushed and whispered, “Thanks, Kee.” Jacob unfolded from the wall he had been leaning on. When Tori turned away from the sink, he bent and lifted her over his shoulder. Her sister shrieked as he turned and nodded toward Keelee and Doc. “Goodnight.” Tori’s unabashed laughter echoed through the small building as he kicked the bedroom door shut.

* Doc watched Jacob play caveman. He turned to Keelee, her eyes opened wide with disbelief.

He snickered. “Rather awkward.”

Keelee’s eyes bugged out at him and she laughed. “For us—not them.”

Doc chuckled and patted the sofa. “You haven’t taken off your jacket yet. Are you still cold?”

Keelee sat down at the far end of the sofa. “Yeah, must have been colder out there than I realized.”

Doc moved to the fireplace and threw another log on the fire before he went into her room. He returned within seconds with her sleeping bag, unzipped it and draped it over her. Keelee kicked off her boots and drew her long legs up under her. “Thank you.” She waited until Doc sat down.

“You said you’ve worked with Jacob for five years?”

Doc nodded. “I was a last minute addition put on his team to replace his old medic. That first mission was a tough one. It took about a month longer than it should have. I’ve been with him ever since.”

Keelee stared into the fire. “But you’re a doctor, not a medic. Why couldn’t his old doctor go?”

Doc shrugged and pulled off his boots, stretching his feet towards the fire. “Most doctors don’t volunteer for duty with the teams. I’m not what you would consider normal in that respect.

I honor my oath to do no harm, but I will protect my brothers at all costs. I guess that’s a dichotomy, but I can live with it. I served in the Marine Corps before I got out and went to medical school.”

“Wait, go back. Was he dead, the medic you replaced?”

Doc closed his eyes. She didn’t need to be touched by the violence inherent in his life.

Keelee sighed. “I’m not stupid, Adam. I figured you and Jacob do some sort of super-secret military shit.” She paused and gave a dry laugh. “And Tori, too, I suppose.”

Adam turned his head towards her and watched the firelight dance off her golden hair. “I don’t think you’re stupid. I signed a non-disclosure agreement when I went to work for Guardian. I can’t tell you the details. You know what we do is dangerous.”

“Life is filled with danger, Adam. Some spirits are led to it, some away from it. You make a difference. That’s what Tori keeps saying. She likes making a difference and now I am starting to understand how she does that.”

He turned back to the fire and closed his eyes for a moment. “The job is important, but it leaves a huge hole. If you’re lucky like Jacob and Tori, you can find someone to fill the void.”

Or you find a money-hungry gold digger looking to advance her position and deal with the ramifications for the rest of your life.

The fire crackled as sap caught in the wood popped. Keelee closed her eyes and pulled up the sleeping bag. Doc gazed at the flames for several long minutes. Muted noises coming from the bedroom would have been awkward if Keelee hadn’t fallen into an exhausted sleep. Not to mention his rebellious cock, which hadn’t stopped noticing the woman beside him. He’d give anything to take her to bed and rock her world… and his, for at least a week. God, what was he thinking? He chuckled to himself. He wasn’t thinking, his dick was, and that always led to trouble. Leaning his head back, he listened to the fire and her rhythmic breathing as he let the day slip away. ***

Adam woke to the cold of the room and cast a sleepy glance at the fire that had died down to coals. In the darkness, he heard her breathing and recognized the wet congested sound. As he’d suspected, she was coming down with something. He stood and moved to her, carefully picking her up. With no effort, he carried her into her room, where he lay her down on the bed.

She was running a low-grade fever. Her body was abnormally hot, and she started shivering when he lay her down. He pulled away the sleeping bag. It was damp from her perspiration. He removed her coat, turning it inside out so any wetness absorbed from her fevered body would evaporate before daybreak. Taking care not to wake her, he unbuttoned and removed her shirt and unfastened her jeans. When he slid off her jeans, she coughed and huddled into a ball but never woke. He covered her with his dry sleeping bag and lay down beside her. Her body automatically sought his heat as she pushed close to him. Adam moved her onto his shoulder and wrapped his leg and arm around her. He closed his eyes, and with the practiced ease learned from too many combat missions, fell immediately into a deep sleep.

Doc woke suddenly but didn’t move. His morning wood raged against his jeans, begging him to either release it from the denim-enforced pressure or give it the friction it needed. His leg and arm remained draped over Keelee, who had turned in her sleep and snuggled her back against his body. Tori and Jacob whispered at the bedroom door before it snicked shut. Keelee’s mass of blonde hair shrouded the pillow around them. She coughed—a deep, congested hack. Doc pulled her closer and she nestled on his arm and shoulder. The throbbing of his cock would have to be ignored. The lady was ill.

Tori and Jacob’s murmured conversation could be heard through the door, but the words were indistinguishable. He gazed down at the profile of the beautiful woman in his arms. Her breathing was labored and congested. A coughing fit shook her body wickedly and she woke and sat up. Her eyes bounced around the room and then finally to him as if trying to put her memory in place.

Her hoarse voice cracked. “How in the hell did I end up in bed with you?”

Doc stretched and stood up. No sense in letting her feel what his body wanted. “I’m that memorable, huh?” At her baffled expression, he grinned. “You fell asleep on the couch. When I moved you to your bed, I noticed your sleeping bag was damp from the fever you were running.

I took off your coat, jeans, and shirt and wrapped you in my bag. You were still shivering so I lay down to warm you up.”

“Thank you.” She pulled the sleeping bag closer and coughed again. “Okay, I probably need to get cleaned up and dressed.”

Doc reached out and felt her forehead. “You’re running a temperature. You shouldn’t be out working in the cold.”

“Yeah, right. I don’t know how you were raised, but a case of the sniffles isn’t going to stop me from getting this herd gathered.”

She lifted the sleeping bag and stepped onto the cold floor. The utilitarian green cotton bra and panties on her toned body were brief and tight enough to make Doc’s hard-on rematerialize.

Damn if she wasn’t beautiful. Keelee leaned down to rummage through her pack and gave Doc an excellent view of her perfect ass. His erection made his jeans just a bit too tight. After pulling clean underwear out, she peeked back at him. “Turn around, please.”

Doc shook his head, his eyes locked on her. No way in hell he was going to miss this show.

“Alright then, close your eyes.”

Again Doc shook his head. His eyes swept her body with an appreciative glance.

Keelee took a deep breath that triggered a coughing fit. “Fine, be that way.”

She turned away from him, took off her bra, and quickly put on a new one—blue this time.

Damn, the expanse of naked skin almost had him coming in his pants.

He groaned inwardly as she dug into the saddle bags and pulled out a long-sleeve thermal undershirt. She pulled the shirt on. The hem fell to the middle of her thighs. She held Doc’s gaze with steady challenge as she shimmied out of her underwear and into her new pair without showing an inch of skin.

He broke out in a sweat. Fuck, he needed to be in her. Pulling on a pair of jeans, Keelee sat on the bed and pushed her feet into thick socks. With effort, she crawled up to the head of the bed.

Adam sat down beside her. She hacked a congested cough and dropped her head into her hands.

And there went the mood. The girl was definitely sick.

He put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him. “Feeling pretty bad?”

Keelee nodded. “Yeah. Like shit. I appreciate you taking care of me last night.”

“Not a problem. You shouldn’t go out today. Rest up. We can work the herd today.”

Keelee gave her attention to him. Her eyes sparkled, probably from a low-grade fever. “Huh. Not likely. You could make my day and go get me some coffee. Please.”

Doc lifted an eyebrow at her defiance. “I will, but only because I want some too.”

She snorted a laugh and then coughed again. He had to give her credit; she didn’t blush or cause a stink about him taking her clothes off. And he also had to admit she was one of the prettiest patients he’d had in the last five years.

He closed the door behind him and saw Jacob and Tori on the floor in front of the fireplace, locked in a heated embrace. Doc picked up a mug and called, “Really? Could you at least find a place away from the coffee pot?”

Tori’s head lifted, and her voice was husky with desire when she replied. “No, go back to bed.”

Doc shook his head and laughed. “Can’t. Keelee is awake and demanding room service.”

Tori propped herself up on Jacob’s chest. “While we are on the topic, care to explain that?”

Tori motioned towards the bedroom.

“No.” Doc stepped past them and kicked Jacob’s boot, moving the man’s foot away from the corner of the fire by the coffee pot. He poured two mugs and retraced his steps going back into the bedroom. Jacob’s laughter and Tori’s, “Well, shit, he is a talkative one isn’t he?” trailed after him.

Chapter Three It was a miserable cold-as-fuck day. The cattle didn’t want to move, the horses were rank and spooked at the smallest thing. It took all four of them a solid eight hours on horseback to gather the dispersed herd into the holding pasture adjacent the line shack. It had been years since Adam had spent so much time working without a team mission in mind. Even though the weather sucked, the effort felt good. He admired the work ethic the girls displayed. No doubt a testament to the way they were raised. He’d be damned if they didn’t measure up, inch by inch, to the best he’d seen.

Now that the animals had been tended to and dinner was done, Doc watched Keelee as she worked in the kitchen. She had barely eaten any food and worked with slow and methodical determination. Tori and Jacob once again went to the bedroom almost immediately after the dishes were washed.

Keelee was putting things back in one of the packs when Doc came up behind her. “Come sit down. You really do need to rest.”

She allowed herself to fall back against his chest. “Adam, let me finish here, then I promise I’ll rest.” With a determined breath, she stepped away from him and replaced all the cookware and supplies that would not spoil into the packs for the horses. Doc put three large logs on the fire and then went to his room for a moment.

When he returned to the kitchen, he held out a couple tablets and a cup of water. “Take these, they will clear up your congestion so you can sleep.”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t want any medicine.”

He squinted at her. “Why? Do you think I am trying to drug you to take advantage of you?”

Keelee’s laugh initiated a coughing fit. She sat on the couch and tried to breathe. “Crap, stop making me laugh, will you?”

Doc sat down beside her. “What was so damn funny?”

Keelee chuckled and coughed again. “What, indeed. Why on God’s green earth would someone like you want to take advantage of someone like me?”

Why? Because you are the most fascinating, strong, stubborn and sexy woman I’ve met in years. “The medicine will make you feel better.”

She stood up and coughed again. “I’ll take you up on your suggestion and hit the hay. Good night.” Keelee turned and walked into her bedroom, shutting the door.

Adam put down the cup and pills, then pulled his hands through his hair. He considered the closed door and leaned back in the couch. Sleep was not going to come easy tonight, especially with the not-so-muted sounds of sex once again coming from the adjoining bedroom. *** Adam was asleep on the couch and the fire had died down to coals when the door to Keelee’s bedroom opened. The slight noise of the latch woke him immediately. He listened as she padded to the couch. She moved his bangs off his forehead and his eyes popped open. She straightened, startled.

“You okay?” He lifted to a sitting position.

“I’m so damn cold. Would you please hold me again?”

“How long did it take you to get up the nerve to ask?”

“Couple hours.”

“Stubborn. Come on.”

He stood and led her back into her room. When he lay down and pulled her cold body to his warmer one, she snuggled against him. “Thank you.”

He stroked her hair and wrapped his leg around her. “Shhh… go to sleep.” You are going to regret this, man.

Fatigue finally blurred the painful memories and he closed his eyes. A yawn stretched his mouth and he relaxed into the pillow. He needed sleep. * Doc woke, immediately alert. Keelee shivered violently against his body. Even in sleep he was attuned to her. He clicked into clinical mode and slipped out from under her to get his medical bag. A thermometer scanned across her forehead read 102.5. He grabbed two Tylenols and propped her up. “Baby, you have to take this.” Keelee roused enough to swallow the pills and melted back into the bed, shivering as he covered her up. He pulled out a vial and a needle and filled the syringe. “Keelee, are you allergic to anything?” She mumbled something indistinguishable. He walked to Jacob’s bedroom door and knocked quietly.

Within seconds, Jacob was at the door, wearing jeans and carrying a Winchester in his hand.

That he had already been awake was obvious.

“Her fever has spiked. I need to give her some antibiotics, but I can’t get her to answer me about allergies. Ask Tori if Keelee is allergic to anything.”

Tori pulled the door open wearing only Jacob’s flannel shirt, which fell to mid-thigh. “No, she has no allergies.”

Adam nodded as they all moved back into Keelee’s bedroom.

“What are you giving her?” Tori asked.

“This is a stabilized form of antibiotic that we use in the field.” He thumped the syringe.

“Tori, roll her. I need to administer this in deep muscle tissue.” Tori stared at him blankly.

Jacob rolled Keelee. “Bare your sister’s butt cheek, Tori. She’s getting a shot in the ass.”

“Oh shit, is she going to be pissed. She hates all medicine but despises needles.”

Adam applied alcohol and said, almost to himself, “I’d rather have her pissed and healthy than happy and dead.” He administered the shot. Throwing the blanket back over her, he nodded. “I got it from here.”

Jacob gathered Victoria and led her out of the room. “Come on, honey. Doc is the best. She’ll be fine.” Tori nodded and allowed him to push her out of the small room.

Adam went to the kitchen and poured room temperature water into a bowl from a pitcher that had been drawn earlier in the evening. Gathering a clean dishrag he went back into the room. He placed the cool, damp rag on her forehead, then went to his room for his sleeping bag.

Uncovering her body, he pulled off her wet clothes and stripped her to her underwear. Even limp and blushed with fever, her body was beautiful.

“I know you’re not feeling well. This should help.” He washed her with the tepid water trying to lower her fever.

Keelee started to moan and thrash around in the bed. “Shit.” Adam’s comment came as he reached for the bowl and caught her hair. Keelee lurched to the side of the bed, vomiting. After he cleaned her up, he retrieved more water to cool her overheated body.

Throughout the next hour, Keelee moaned and whimpered in pain. Her body convulsed with massive coughing fits.

“Shh… that’s good, Keelee. Just going to listen to your breathing. You’re safe. I got you.”

Adam pulled out his stethoscope and placing her on her side he listened to her lungs. Pneumonia.

He checked her temperature again, noting it was lower. 100 degrees. He went to her saddlebags and pulled out another thermal undershirt. Carefully he removed her sweat-soaked bra, dressed her in the new dry shirt and carried her to the living room. The medical care of his patient removed all the desire he’d once had. His actions were clinical, professional and necessary.

Once he had her comfortable on the couch and covered with his sleeping bag, Adam threw two logs on the coals and stoked the fire, slowly bringing warmth back into the line shack. He went back to the couch and pulled her onto him.

Adam gazed at the woman with him. Her hair was damp from fever and her face flushed red, but she was beautiful. Keelee’s breathing was still difficult, so he propped himself up on the armrest of the couch until they were almost sitting. He watched the black of night lose its grip on the sky. The sun started to rise casting a dim light through the window.

Adam slid her off his lap and went to work brewing the morning coffee, hanging it by the fire knowing Tori and Jacob would be up soon. He checked on Keelee again. He sat on the floor next to her and stared at the fire. How in the hell did he go from being the highest paid combat medical specialist in the free world to a country doctor in a line shack somewhere in the Black Hills of South Dakota? Jacob and Tori came out of their bedroom.

“How is she?” Tori asked.

“Judging from her symptoms and the sound of her lungs, she most likely has pneumonia. Her temperature has reduced, but it is not at an acceptable point. She has been vomiting because of the mucus accumulation and she is slightly dehydrated. I don’t want to start an IV unless I have to, but I will if she begins to retrograde. Needless to say, she and I will not be riding out of here today.”

Tori nodded. “Jacob and I can move the herd down to the canyon by ourselves. We can send any supplies that the other men haven’t used back up. You can bring her down when she’s feeling better, or if she gets worse we’ll get the helicopter to come up here and take her to Rapid City Regional Hospital. Is your cell still charged?”

Doc nodded. “Three-quarter battery, should last for a while.”

Jacob indicated the woman on the couch. “Doc, you okay being up here alone?”

“Hell no, Skipper, I’m afraid of the dark and I think I might just cry.”

Tori bust into a fit of giggles and pulled Jacob towards the door. “You got breakfast, Doc, we are heading to the animals.”

Adam nodded and smiled when Jacob threw him the finger as he left the shack. “You’re an asshole, Cassidy,” he called back. Adam’s laughter followed his team leader out the door.

Chapter Four Keelee woke slowly. Soft sounds called to her, stirring the need to identify them. She tried to focus. A stinging pinch on her buttock made her flinch.

Adams gentle words eased into her consciousness. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt you, but you needed another shot of amoxicillin.”

Her body ached and her head pounded loudly as she tried to concentrate. She moved and moaned from the pain of the effort. She slipped back into oblivion, the importance of the sounds no longer enough to keep her awake. * Keelee blinked awake and shifted, suddenly aware she wasn’t in her room. Adam was perched on the couch beside her. He tenderly stroked her cheek. “Hi. Your fever’s down. How are you feeling?”

Keelee stretched and contemplated his face. The man appeared as if he’d been through the wringer. “Been better. You’re tired.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, it sometimes happens.”

She smiled weakly and glanced around. “Where are Tori and Jacob?”

Adam put a hand on her forehead and gave a quick smile. “They moved the cattle down the mountain three days ago.”

Keelee’s brow creased. “Three days ago?”

“Mmm… you ended up with pneumonia and a high fever. The fever finally broke this afternoon.” He wiped her brow with a cool cloth. “Are you hungry?”

She shook her head slowly. “Thirsty.” He lifted her into a sitting position. Keelee’s head hammered and she grabbed his arm steadying herself.

“It is alright, I got you.”

She took several sips of the water he offered and lay back down. The cool liquid felt wonderful. Keelee cleared her throat. She’d dreamed of him, not really remembering what she dreamed, but the man was definitely ingrained in her subconscious. “You stayed with me?”

He pushed her hair back and stroked her cheek. “I stayed with you.”

She reached up and grabbed his hand, stilling the motion. “Why?” Adam removed his hand and replied, “You know why.”

“No, I don’t.” Please tell me it’s because you like me. She leaned back and closed her eyes.

The warmth of the cabin and soothing sound of the fire in the hearth lulled her back to sleep.

Adam’s voice floated toward her. “Yeah, that’s about my luck.” *

Adam made soup with a light broth and waited for her to wake again. Today her sleep had been peaceful and restorative. Based on the woman’s strong health prior to the onset of symptoms he knew they’d be off the mountain soon. She was sitting up watching him from the couch as he turned.

“Hi.” Keelee hugged her knees to her chest and peeked at him through her lashes. “Hi.” He walked over and felt her face and forehead, noting her temperature was normal. Her color was good and there were no noticeable sounds of distress in her breathing.

“Adam, I think I need a bath.”

He chuckled. “Indeed you do.”

She laughed weakly. “You didn’t need to agree so readily.”

“Really? Do you want me to start lying to you now?”

Keelee ran her hand through her hair and grimaced. “No, please don’t.”

He pulled a large pan of hot water off the stove and winked at her. He walked through to one of the smaller rooms and emptied the hot water into a large silver tub he’d found in the lean-to and had been filling for her.

Walking back to the couch, he leaned down and picked her up. “Come on sweetheart, bath time.”

He carried her into the room and sat her on the bed. “Do you want me to help?”

Keelee lowered her eyes and shook her head. “No. But I don’t… I’m so damn weak, I don’t know if I can manage by myself.”

“No worries. Medical professional, remember?” A few minutes later, he had her undressed and settled in the warm water. He placed a washcloth on the side of the tub and a dry towel on the chair next to it.

“Here you go. I’ll give you a couple minutes.” He walked out of the room and shut the door.

Adam leaned against the doorjamb, closed his eyes and took a ragged breath. She actually bought that medical professional bullshit. This was harder for him than her. Harder? Hell, if he got any harder he’d be able to pound nails through a two-by-four with his dick. He damn sure didn’t mind giving her a sponge bath, but fuck… seeing her naked in a tub of water. He inspected the ceiling. Don’t suppose you’d bless me with just a little more strength to resist those base urges today, would you? Silence. Huh. Didn’t think so.

He waited five minutes and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Keelee had covered her breasts with the washcloth and was leaning back on the tub. The ends of her hair were wet, but he could tell she hadn’t washed it.

“Lean forward.” She put her elbows on her knees and held her head.

Casting a glance at the ceiling, Adam shifted to give his cock more room. Yeah, like that had a chance in hell of working. Couldn’t give me that break, could you?

He wet her hair and lathered shampoo through it. Rinsing it thoroughly, he wrapped it in a towel. He made it a point not to survey that sensuous back or the top of that rounded ass—at least ten or twenty times. Damn it… he was never very good at listening to himself.

“Come on.” He held a hand out for her as she stood up glistening from the water. Adam closed his eyes as she lifted and stepped out of the tub. He held out the towel in his hand for her and let it go when she pulled.

“I’m covered.” Her soft whisper lifted his eyelids and he gave her a glance. Nothing clinical registered, that’s for sure. Leading her to the front room, he spread a blanket on the floor. “Sit down.” Keelee sat in front of the fire wrapped only in the towel.

Adam sat behind her and worked a small comb through her hair. When he finished, she leaned back against him and sighed deeply. Her soft body against his felt good, but her shiver forced him to move. He lifted off the floor and extended a hand.

Once they were in the bed room, he pulled one of his T-shirts out of his duffle and helped her put it on. He removed the towel after he pulled the cotton shirt over her head. Pulling her damp hair out from the back of the shirt, he led her to the bed and opened the sleeping bags. “Time for bed.”

She lay down and cast her eyes toward him. “Adam, please hold me.”

He put the sleeping bag down, tucking her in before he kissed her forehead. “Not tonight, you need to rest.” He walked out and closed the door. Sitting on the couch he raked his hands through his hair and drew a shuddering breath. Really, what did I do to deserve this hell? I want her. I admit it. Fuck!

He rocked forward and added several logs to the fire. Turning back to the couch, he saw her standing in just his shirt. Her hair fell to her waist. Her body… holy hell, did he just swallow his tongue?

“Adam, I need you to sleep with me.”

“What?” On some level her comment registered. Yeah, it actually rang loud and clear on the lust and desire levels and both were on board with the request. Rational thought, however, sputtered several thoughts that his lips couldn’t seem to form. Adam blinked repeatedly trying to reboot his freaking mouth.

He stood and moved to the far side of the room. The space seemed to help his selective mutism. “Keelee, don’t. I can’t. You don’t know what you are asking.” She smiled softly and walked up to him laying her head on his shoulder. He held her lightly against him. “Keelee, I will not take advantage of you. Go to bed.”

She pulled away from him and slanted her eyes toward his. “I never thought you would. I don’t want to be alone. Sleep with me.”

He dropped his head and cringed inwardly. Of course she didn’t mean sleep with him, just sleep. He could do this. She was a patient. She needed to rest and he could help her do that.

“Okay, let’s get some sleep.”

She took his hand and led him into the room. He put her under the covers and lay on top of them. There weren’t nearly enough to stop his mind from imagining the woman beneath them.

She snuggled close to him and fell asleep almost immediately. His lack of sleep in the last four days enveloped him as he held her, but he came to a decision. She was a tempting woman, but he wasn’t going to let himself succumb to his base desires. Fuck, he’d been there and done that. He had the emotional scars to prove it. No matter how attractive he found Keelee, he couldn’t afford to get involved with the woman. His mind clearly made up, he knew what he was going to do, and she wasn’t it. He’d make sure she made it down the mountain and he’d make himself scarce.

He didn’t need the complication of a woman, even a sexy one like Keelee Marshall. Making love with her would be so damned easy. But without protection it wasn’t going to happen. Never again. Not after what Bianca did… no. Never again. * Keelee woke to his strong, regular breaths against her cheek. She knew how tired he was last night and his deep sleep now gave her a chance to study him. His dark blond hair fell across his forehead and his beard was full after five days without shaving. She stretched carefully and

winced from the soreness of her muscles—lack of activity, no doubt. She lost herself for a moment in the scene out the window. The sky was just starting to show daylight. Five thirty, by her guess. She carefully moved out of bed and walked into the kitchen. She checked the pot and put it on the propane burner. Turning to the fire she added three logs and stoked the coals igniting the dried wood. She took a deep breath and for the first time in a week didn’t feel like coughing.

After the coffee had percolated, she poured two cups and walked into the bedroom. She set his cup on the bedside table while moving to the top of the bed with hers. She leaned her back against the wall and covered her legs with the sleeping bag as she stared at the man asleep in front of her. She wanted him—a fling, an affair or even just a roll in the hay. She’d cast all her fears and inhibitions to the wind to answer the pull she felt. The decision to give herself to a man freed a small piece of her she’d never let loose. A rather giddy sense of excitement zinged through her as she waited for him to wake.

She had finished her coffee before he stirred. His eyes opened immediately as he reached toward where she had lain beside him. She smiled at him from across the bed. Holding her empty cup, she toasted him. “Dr. Cassidy.”

He propped his head on his hand. “Miss Marshall.”

“Was I a horrible patient?”

He nodded. “The worst.”

“How can I make it up to you, doctor?” She purred the question.

He closed his eyes and grimaced as if he was in pain. “Keelee, you’re killing me.”

What had she done wrong? “How?” Adam rolled away from her and dropped his legs over the edge of the bed. He hung his head in his hands as he almost shouted, “Keelee, I have spent the last five days taking care of you as a patient. You have been very ill and you are in no condition to deal with anything I may want or need.”

Oh, well, he didn’t need to worry about that. She felt good enough to ride him into the next state. She chuckled, “My, my, Dr. Cassidy. It would appear it is you and not I that need some relief of their condition.”

He chuckled wickedly, “Yeah, I need relief.” He stood and started to walk out of the room.

“Adam?” He stopped and directed his eyes to the ceiling. Keelee regarded the spot that held his attention. She didn’t see anything.

“Look at me, Adam, not the ceiling.” He dropped his head and stared back. She lifted the Tshirt off and flipped her hair back. “I am in complete control of my faculties. I am a grown woman who wants you to make love to her. I think I could give you the relief you need.”

He turned away and buried his hands in his hair, eyes once again lifted up to the ceiling as he spoke. “That isn’t going to happen for several reasons. I have been pumping you full of antibiotics. I have no condoms with me, and even if you are on birth control you’d be in danger of becoming pregnant.”

“I think we can find some way to make this happen,” she chuckled as she walked towards him. She leaned up and nibbled on his ear and kissed down his neck. He grabbed her hands and stepped back. “Fuck, Keelee, you have to stop. I am only a man!”

“Yeah, Adam, you are all man.”

She slowly dropped to her knees and nuzzled his rock hard cock through his jeans. She had no idea how to do this, but the romance books she’d read made it sound simple. Take him in my

mouth and make him feel good. How hard could it be? “Let go of my hands, Adam. I want us. I want us, now.”

He pulled her up. “Keelee, stop it.” * He knew he needed to explain this better. He absolutely couldn’t make love to her without contraception. Not after Bianca. Yet his will to resist her, to deny his desires, was running past empty. He needed this to stop. He needed to make her understand why he couldn’t do this, but damn it, he didn’t want to go there. Fuck, at this point he wasn’t sure he was capable of speech, let alone a rational discussion about his screwed-up life. His ex-wife had fucked him over good, and he’d be damned if he would allow it to happen again.

The hurt expression on her face hit him in the gut.

“Why? Am I repulsive to you?” Her words pushed him into a self-loathing he hadn’t felt since Bianca.

“No.” The acid in his gut roiled and he fought to keep the memories of his pain and loss at bay.

“Then what the hell is going on here?” Keelee backed away from him and crossed her arms across her breasts.

Adam groaned. “Listen, this is really fucked up, I just can’t do this…”

Keelee grabbed a flannel shirt and shrugged it on. Her lips pinched tight and she turned her back on him. “I… I thought you liked me.”

Oh, just fucking kill me now.

He stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s not that I don’t like you.” God, even to his own ears that sounded pathetic. “I’m not going—” “Yeah, right. Don’t bother. I get your message loud and clear. Sorry I forced myself on you.

Don’t worry, Dr. Cassidy. That will never happen again.” She shrugged off his hand and stepped away from him, but he reached out for her again.

“Damn it! Listen, I’m not going to be your ticket out of Hicksville…”

She spun around, hands on hips. “What?”

“I get you’re searching for something, but I won’t be your free ride out of here.”

“You think I want… that I would… use you? Like that? Why the hell would I want to leave?”

“It’s been done before.” The sneer in his voice came from a pain he couldn’t hide.

“Excuse me? We haven’t known each other long but you should know me well enough by now to realize I’m not that type of woman. Even if I wanted to expand my horizons, I don’t need a man to get me out of ‘Hicksville’.”

“Look, maybe you’re not pandering for a ticket out, but even if you aren’t, I’m not searching for a relationship and you are definitely a relationship waiting to happen. I’m nothing but a transient in this job. I don’t have any roots and I don’t have any intention of putting any down, so if this…” he circled the air with his hand, “…is your Nirvana, you’d be better off hooking your cart to someone who’d be happy here.”

“What? What does that even mean?” Keelee’s gaping expression frustrated him to the point of anger.

“You! You don’t have what it takes to survive my world, baby. You’re a tough woman, sure, but you’d never make it in my world and I won’t live in yours. I can’t. I have obligations outside my commitments to my team. I’ve got to be aware of the big picture here and no matter how

much I want you, this?” He motioned between the two of them. “This will never happen.

Period.”

“Oh, you are so right. This? This is done. Forever. Don’t worry, Dr. Cassidy, believe me, this country bumpkin doesn’t have to be told twice. Get out.” Her hands shook as she held the shirt closed around her and pointed towards the door.

Adam pivoted on his foot and slammed the door on the way out. Fuck. This. Shit. * Four months later: Why am I still thinking about him? Why, after all this time, why do I still torture myself? “Oh, you are so right. This? This is done. Forever. Don’t worry Dr. Cassidy, believe me this country bumpkin doesn’t have to be told twice. Get out.” The last words she ever spoke to him were etched in her memory. As were the feelings of shame and morbid humiliation she’d felt that day when the full impact of his comments had registered. After almost four months, you’d think she’d be able to put it behind her. Yet the vivid memory lived as if the events had happened yesterday. Today, the words and feelings slapped her in the face again as she hung up the phone after talking with her sister.

When the men left the ranch, they went on a mission. Keelee didn’t know the details, but from what she was told, everything went wrong. Several members of the team were missing, including Tori’s husband and Doc. Tori’s call today was a godsend. They’d been found.

Talk about regrets. Before the team left, Keelee had ensured there wasn’t an opportunity to be alone with Doc. His accusations and insinuations had hurt her. The idea that she would use him as a way out? The comment and his accusations threw her for a loop. Why in the hell would she ever leave the ranch? Why would he think she would? The arrogant son-of-a-bitch. The more she thought about it, the madder she got. Hell, the times he had attempted to speak to her, she’d walked away without a word.

Keelee sighed and shrugged her shoulders. They didn’t have a shot. He didn’t want her. He was completely honest about what type of woman it would take to get anyone from Guardian to settle down. Her sister was that type. Worldly, fun, vivacious. Keelee would never be that kind of person. Couldn’t be. Adam’s life held thrills and challenges she could never understand. Or at least until he’d been injured it had.

Keelee cleared her throat. His injuries were extensive but Adam was alive. Well, for that she was thankful. But Tori told her his memories of recent events, including his stay at the ranch, were gone. He didn’t know she existed.

Keelee wiped a tear from her eye and shrugged off the humiliation that followed. Just as well.

It was enough that he was alive. She walked without seeing through the kitchen and shouldered into a coat. Life went on. The animals needed food. Livestock needed tending, and work needed to be done. Nothing could change what had happened. Keelee lifted a hand, waving at Clint as he pulled into the yard. The man’s smile and shouted greeting were familiar. Normal. Clint was a part of her world as Adam had never been.

Chapter Five One year later: None of it felt familiar. Nothing. Not a damned thing. I stayed here? A year ago? Adam scanned the breadth of landscape outside the clinic’s window—a brand new facility, built on a South Dakota ranch. They told him he’d worked and stayed at this ranch, made friends here and he couldn’t remember a solitary minute of that time. Memories—gone. Only random flashes of conversations, mere déjà vu moments, or ghosts of emotions drifting around his consciousness sometimes, rippling through the emptiness.

“Recognize anything?” Chief’s question cut through his musings. Adam watched his friend.

The man’s physical presence cast a full shadow. Thank God he remembered his team. Before he was injured, he performed as a member of Alpha Team, the most elite fighting force in Guardian Security. Jacob, his best friend, Skipper and all-around bad ass, and Chief, the team’s communications specialist and computer geek, had been in his face and by his side during his recovery. The other two members of the team, Dixon and Drake, twin pilots and armament experts, lived here now. Here at a ranch in South Dakota. The Annex. Guardian’s newly minted, high-speed, low-drag training and rehab facility on the outskirts of the Black Hills, built on a huge ranch that would rival the Ponderosa. Talk about a weird mix. Paramilitary teams, security specialists, and the nation’s finest law enforcement professionals rehabbing and training in the wild, wild west. Yee-fucking-haw.

Apparently this whole training center had been built since he’d left fourteen months ago.

Doc took another sweep of the vista. The majestic Black Hills range loomed in the background. Golden rolling hills scattered with aspen, pine and cottonwoods stretched for as far as the eye could see. Vast herds of cattle dotted the hills in the distance. Drifting white floss streaked vivid blue skies. Swallows swooped in a small flock, pulling his attention to the enormous barn peeking up past the hill from the newly constructed medical facility where he now stood.

He took his time and concentrated on the words he wanted to speak. He preferred to sign.

Communication in American Sign Language proved so much easier than talking. His mind knew what he wanted his mouth to say. Sometimes his brain didn’t connect the two. His speech therapist insisted he continue to push through the difficulties and gave him techniques to trick his brain into working.

He continued to stare out the window. Why? Damned if Adam knew, perhaps a desperate attempt to recall anything familiar. “No, I don’t remember it.” But then again, why would he? He hadn’t had one solid memory of those lost days in the past year.

He felt robbed, violated, sometimes violently angry, and if he was honest with himself— afraid. Although why he felt fear was beyond his comprehension. So much had happened, so much he had allegedly participated in that he couldn’t remember. Everything seemed wrong,

disjointed. And not remembering coupled with his damn slow speech? The perfect combination of emotions to fuel his depression.

Jacob was married to the woman they had rescued from that Afghani shithole. Hell, they even had a son! The woman, Victoria, acted like she knew him—as if they had a history. Honestly, he wouldn’t have known it was the same woman they pulled out of that hole in the ground. The beautiful woman didn’t resemble the abused, nearly dead skeleton he had treated. It took her showing him the scars on the arches of her feet for him to believe she was the same person.

Those scars he recalled vividly. The bastards had tortured her by burning her feet as they held her head under water. That mission he remembered. As a matter of fact, the plane ride back to Germany was the last substantial memory he had when he woke up in that Paris hospital.

“You will. You have a history here that is searching for peace. Remember, the doc said it could take time.”

Chief’s words snapped him back. Defeat filled him, and he hated he couldn’t express himself the way he wanted. I’m a doctor, don’t you think I know what the prognosis is? He wanted to scream it at the top of his lungs, but he couldn’t. Any strong emotion seemed to hinder his ability to speak. Instead of stumbling with words he lashed out in ASL. Yeah, and they fucking said it may never come back! They also said my speech would improve. It hasn’t, has it? What the fuck am I doing here? There is no way I can run a medical facility!

Chief lifted one eyebrow as his gaze drifted from Doc’s hands to his eyes. Nothing in the man’s demeanor gave any indication of any emotion other than that lifted brow. “Stop with the pity party, Adam. Your speech has improved, just not as fast as you feel is appropriate. You have a job to do. Do it. You are here because you’re needed here. Suck it up.” The words were delivered as mildly as if the big man had just ordered a hamburger. No anger, no condemnation, no contempt. So typically Chief. Okay, way more words than usual, true, but the lack of emotion, a Chief hallmark.

“Dixon and Drake want to see you. They should be here soon. Jacob, Jared, and Joseph are helping them finish up with chores first. The twins are taking advantage of the brothers being here for the christening. Jacob and Tori’s son doesn’t know how lucky he is to be a part of that family. Justin left this afternoon heading back to New York. Opening a new restaurant in less than two weeks. Jason isn’t here anymore.”

Adam nodded. The four King Brothers, Jacob, Jared, Jason, and Joseph, were the cornerstones of Guardian Security. Doc had been told Jason felt responsible for the failure of the mission that ultimately resulted in his injuries. Doc closed his eyes and sighed deeply. No, Jason wasn’t responsible. The man couldn’t have known the chain of events that would end up costing two lives and nearly killing three others. Adam had digested every report submitted by all surviving participants. If it weren’t for Jason’s quick thinking and decisive actions, giving himself up to give his team a fighting chance, all of Bravo team would be dead.

Those thoughts were impossible to process quickly enough to say without lengthy pauses that would only aggravate his growing sense of failure. Instead, Adam changed the subject. “It will be good to see them again. I missed the twins, although I can’t quite figure out why.”

“Must be the brain injury, Doc.” A deep baritone voice rumbled from the doorway.

As Adam turned Chief added, “Knowing the twins, I almost guarantee it.”

Adam extended his hand. Jacob King’s panther-like stride made short work of the space between them. The team leader completely disregarded the outstretched hand and enveloped Adam. The hug wasn’t typical of one of the King Brothers. Instead of brute force or a macho

display and contest of almost legendary strength, the embrace conveyed the history, friendship, pain and suffering the two men shared.

After a moment, Jacob held Adam at arm’s length. His friend’s steel blue eyes took stock of his appearance. Inwardly, he flinched. He knew what Jacob saw. His six-foot-four-inch frame appeared gaunt. He hadn’t returned to the rigorous workout regime he’d maintained prior to waking up after the injury. His frame had withered and held hardly any of the muscle mass he used to have. The scar from surgery was now covered by his dark blond hair. The opaque, milky film of the lens in his left eye and the ragged scar that sliced across his brow through his eyelid and down his cheek was one hell of a souvenir. The brown leather eye patch covered most of that abomination.

“Damn, you’re looking better. Gained a little weight since the last time I saw you at the hospital. It’s been too long. I’m sorry I’ve been MIA.” The words he wanted to speak didn’t form, so Adam reverted to sign language. I hear you’ve been busy. Congratulations, Daddy.

Jacob’s laughter echoed throughout the small clinic. “That little man is already kicking my ass, but damn it… he is amazing. I can’t wait for you to see him. Jared is bringing a bottle and glasses. I have been given a hall pass and we, my friend, are getting totally toilet-hugging, shitfaced drunk.”

“You get drunk. I can’t. Meds. Damn, I haven’t seen Jared in…” Doc’s voice stopped. A deep sigh built in his chest. He concentrated on producing the words he wanted to say. “I guess I actually don’t remember the last time I saw him. The reports say he was there.”

“He sure as hell was.”

Adam rubbed the bridge of his nose. The headaches had lessened with time but never really went away. The pain traversed from muted to migraine on any given day.

“Adam?” A woman froze in the doorway where the men stood. Visually she was similar to Jacob’s wife Victoria but also different. Beautiful in a softer, more natural way. Adam watched as her shock-widened deep blue eyes traveled the planes of his scarred face. He knew the horror she saw. He still flinched every time he caught site of himself in the mirror. The realization of his grotesque appearance sobered him immediately.

A delicate scent of lavender and vanilla surrounded and caressed the air around her. A whisper of an image floated across his consciousness. A T-shirt pulled across ivory skin.

Desperate, intense longing arched across his senses with the impact of a left hook to the jaw.

The room tilted, forcing him to grab the door frame.

“Adam?” The voice. That voice. God, he knew that voice! But from where? When had he heard it? When had he met this woman? He knew in his gut he knew her, yet he couldn’t remember. When, damn it, when!

A strong hand gripped his forearm forcing him to open his eyes. “Doc, why don’t you and Keelee come in the other room with me for a minute?” Jacob’s voice was quiet, edged with genuine concern.

The woman cleared her throat and shook her head as if clearing her own memories. “No Jacob, it’s okay. Dr. Cassidy, welcome back to the Marshall Ranch. I just stopped by to let you know dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes.”

“Are you going to be at dinner tonight?” Jacob’s question seemed out of place to Adam, but his mind was still reeling with sensations and impressions he desperately wanted to grasp.

“No. I, ah… no.” Her voice broke as she answered. The woman turned and left.

Jacob put a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Look, man, I think I should tell you a few things.”

Adam shook his head and held up a hand, stopping the conversation. “Telling me wouldn’t make a difference. It’s like listening to a story about someone else. Let me deal with this my own way.” He glanced up at his best friend but the sucking depression that was swallowing him inch by excruciating inch forced him to put distance between him and… everything. “I need some time. Alone.” *** Doc sat down once the facility cleared out. Keelee. Who was she to him? Was there a history?

The questions pooled, sinking under a murky surface. He shrugged. It wasn’t worth the effort.

Damn, he was so fucking tired of fighting to remember. Feeling like shit and being depressed were the only constants in his life. No, check that. The huge fucking hole in his memory, feeling like shit and being depressed were the only constants in his life. As a medical professional, he knew the courses of action to take. As a man, he couldn’t quite give a flying fuck if he ever became a functioning human being again. And yes, he could see the signs of depression in himself as clearly as if they were printed in a medical textbook. Yet who really gave a shit if he sat mired in his own misery? Nobody. Himself included. * Time and events separated the past from the man she now saw around the ranch. What once was could never be again and a part of her mourned the loss of the man she had loved. Loved.

Yes, the day they found out he was missing she acknowledged she had fallen in love with Adam.

Even though she could never be enough for him. But those feelings had no place in her life or his. If she told herself that often enough, one day she might believe it or that is what she kept telling her new friend, Ember. The woman’s arrival at the ranch had been a godsend. In short order, she and Keelee had become close. Ember arrived at the ranch last week with Joseph King.

From what Keelee understood, Joseph had been injured taking care of Ember and thankfully Ember was a doctor who ended up caring for her caregiver. Ember evaded Keelee’s questions about Joseph’s injuries and there was no way Keelee would ask Joseph. The man’s barely caged fury kept absolutely everyone at arm’s length, but he treated Ember like a princess.

Unfortunately because of what he did for Guardian, Ember could never have a future with the man. And Keelee loved a man who couldn’t remember her. Both men were Guardians, and both were hell bent on doing the right thing no matter the cost. Well, the cost for Ember was a life without the man she loved, and the cost for Keelee? Loving a man who couldn’t remember her, and if he did, he wouldn’t want to be around her. Life sure as hell wasn’t fair or easy.

The mare she stabled blew out a blast of air and stuck her head over the stall door, expecting more attention. Keelee leaned into the warm dun colored horse and caressed the powerful neck.

She hugged the old horse and then scratched under her mane. The mare stretched her neck and her upper lip danced in approval.

“Looks like you found her spot.”

Keelee jumped and twisted around at the sound of Adam’s voice. Oh shit! What in the hell was he doing here? “Ahh… yeah, she’s a sweet old woman. Too old for hard work but too young to turn out to pasture.” Keelee took in the man standing next to her. He had lost so much weight and he displayed a bone-crushing exhaustion. Defeated. Chief had told her he was struggling with his verbal skills and dealing with the loss of his eye. The eye patch he wore covered all but a small portion of the scar the injury left.

Adam appeared to be taking stock of her as she measured him. She hadn’t changed and that was the reason she knew pretending the past didn’t happen wouldn’t change anything.

“What can I do for you, Adam?” Keelee started to walk out of the barn door, but his hand on her arm stopped her.

He took his hand off her when she turned back around.

Keelee could see stress buried in the lines of his face. He appeared as if he wanted to say something. She waited, wishing she could help him with his struggle. He closed his eye and lifted his face towards the ceiling, his frustration etched into every tense muscle and exasperated gesture. Placing a hand on his arm, she waited until he regarded her. “Adam, I know you’re learning to deal with your injuries. Come on. Walk with me for a while. We can talk when you’re ready.”

Adam nodded and fell into step beside her. Finally, he asked his question.

“Did I know you? Before?”

Keelee glanced at the man. The moment of truth. With a shrug she nodded. “Uh huh. We met when Jacob came back to the ranch with my sister Tori. You, Chief and the twins came with him. Stayed here for a while.”

“Did we… were we… close?” His delay in speaking couldn’t disguise the velvet soft timber she remembered so well. Keelee stopped and faced him.

“Adam, I’m going to be honest. I wanted to be a lot closer to you than you wanted to be to me. You were the consummate gentleman but definitely not interested. So to answer your question, no, we weren’t close.” The damn tears she saved for the solitude of her bedroom threatened to make themselves known. Keelee swallowed hard and blinked rapidly before she turned away.

Adam lifted his hand and cupped her chin, moving her face back so he could see her eyes.

“Then I was a fool. I need to heal.” He tapped his head and smiled a sad smile. “I don’t remember why we weren’t close. I’m sorry. Maybe… we could start again?”

Keelee stared at the shadow of the man she had known. He was obviously trying to get his life together. “I don’t know. I don’t know if I… no.” The tears stopped threatening and fell down her cheeks.

He lifted his hand and wiped her cheeks. “I made you cry? Why would I do that to you?”

Keelee pulled her face away and took a step back. “Sometimes the truth hurts, Adam.” She cleared her throat and observed the horizon. “I’m a simple woman. The ranch is my life. I don’t know how to play games and I don’t understand people who do. We had an attraction. You acted like you were interested but when I offered, you…” She shrugged her shoulders and left the comment unfinished. Appropriate, because that was the way her love for him had withered.

Unfinished.

They stood side by side, each lost in their own thoughts. When he spoke, his words were unexpected.

“Keelee, I’d like to get to know you. I have so much to work on, physically…mentally.

Having a friend would be nice.”

Keelee smiled despite herself. She wanted to be more than a friend, but it was a place to start.

“I’d like that.”

“Good.” He smiled and nodded towards the annex side of the ranch. “Got to go check in with Chief.”

Keelee smiled. “Alright. It was good to talk with you again.”

Adam smiled and those dimples, those wonderful dimples, appeared in all their glory. “It was nice to meet you… again.”

He turned and walked towards the Annex, leaving her in the middle of the wide gravel road.

And she stood there watching until he entered the clinic. When the door closed, she gazed up to the heavens.

“God? You and me, we talk a lot. I usually don’t ask for anything for me. I’m so blessed and I know that… but just this once, if it is in your will, I really would appreciate an assist. That man?

He needs some help and if you’re of a mind, I’d like to be that for him.”

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